Maps from Isolation

New York City is a fun place to be – there’s unfathomable amounts of good food, amazing shows, and good people to venture to. No one has the time or energy to take advantage of all of that, but it’s nice to never want for a reason to go out.

I’ve been living here two years now, and my routine was pretty well established at the top of this year. Crossing states for WFMU, game night in the upper West side, work in midtown, and lots of biking.

A typical day in

February

Some

swell

folk

The Journal

Beautiful

New Jersey

Manic

Manhattan

WFMU

It’s alright

Brooklyn

Home base

More

swell folk

More good

biking

1 mile

A typical day in

February

Some

swell

folk

The Journal

Beautiful

New

Jersey

Manic

Manhattan

WFMU

It’s alright

Brooklyn

Home base

More swell folk

& good biking

1 mile

Living here during the Coronavirus outbreak… is off. The food and shows are shutdown. The good people are still there, but responsibly also self quarantining.

For a month now, my world’s been reduced to four blocks:

A typical day in

March

C-Town

Union Market

Life, now

Douglass Street

K&Y Fruit

& Veggie

500 feet

A typical day in

March

C-Town

Union Market

Life, now

Douglass Street

K&Y Fruit

& Veggie

500 feet

This might as well be anywhere!

Popping out for groceries I can see downtown Brooklyn in the distance, but it only serves as backdrop. For now, life’s an island.

1.

Maps I've Made Recently

Before the “Great Isolation”, I had intended too fly out to Wisconsin. As it became clear flying through major airports may not be ideal, those plans changed. I gave serious consideration to the following alternative means of getting back home…

Driving

900 miles

14 hours

Canada

New

YORK

wisconsin

michigan

Pennsylvania

Janesville

New York

South

Bend

Toledo

Cleveland

Rockford

Chicago

Youngstown

Bowling

Green

NJ

Gary

ohio

indiana

illinois

100 miles

Got the car, got the AM, got the radio on...

Biking

1,209 miles

4 days

New

YORK

Canada

Binghamton

wisconsin

michigan

Janesville

Jamestown

Erie

New York

Pennsylvania

Toledo

Cleveland

Rockford

Chicago

8 days worth of food

NJ

Gary

Sleeping bag

Shovel

ohio

indiana

Essiential

supplies

illinois

Some clothes?

100 miles

I don’t want a pickle...

Walking

904 miles

12 days

New

YORK

wisconsin

michigan

Janesville

New York

Pennsylvania

Rockford

Chicago

Youngstown

Bowling

Green

NJ

Gary

ohio

indiana

illinois

100 miles

I would walk 900 miles and I would walk...

Driving

900 miles

14 hours

Canada

NY

wi

Janesville

MI

Cleveland

Toledo

New York

Rockford

PA

Youngstown

South

Bend

Chicago

NJ

OH

in

iL

100 miles

Got the car, got the AM, got the radio on...

Canada

Biking

1,209 miles

4 days

NY

wi

MI

Janesville

PA

Toledo

New York

Cleveland

Rockford

Chicago

NJ

OH

in

iL

100 miles

I don’t want a pickle...

Canada

Walking

904 miles

12 days

NY

MI

wi

Janesville

New York

Youngstown

PA

Chicago

NJ

Bowling

Green

OH

in

iL

100 miles

I would walk 900 miles and I would walk...

Driving

900 miles

14 hours

NY

WI

MI

Janesville

Cleveland

Toledo

New

York

PA

Chicago

Youngstown

Bowling

Green

OH

IL

IN

100 miles

Got the car, got the AM, got the radio on...

BIKING

1,209 miles

4 days

NY

WI

Erie

MI

Janesville

Toledo

PA

New

York

Cleveland

Chicago

Gary

OH

IL

IN

100 miles

I don’t want a pickle...

Walking

904 miles

12 days

NY

New

York

MI

Janesville

Bowling

Green

PA

Chicago

Youngston

OH

IL

IN

100 miles

I would walk 900 miles and I would walk...

…maybe you’ve made similar ones.

Unfortunately, even at the top of the month it was clear no one knew how prevalent the virus was. I decided to wait until sufficient testing was being done in NYC to know the relative risk. If there was a window, I think I missed it.

Will be making more of these maps, seems like.

2.

Smaller, More Similar World

Obviously the degree to which this has effected you varies depending on your personal, home, and oof, work situations. But while everyone’s physically apart, it’s been interesting to see the similarities in experience. A certain baseline of trauma that seems universal. The same gut fears – an uncertain future and desire to make sure loved ones are ok first and foremost.

My ‘typical day in March’ map is probably pretty darn similar to your current one. Regardless of geography, you have your homestead, grocery/pharmacy, and maybe the nearest hospital.

3.

Proximity

Because everyone’s equally far away, they’re also equally close in a way. The promise of the internet delivered, we’re all connected and tucked in a screen. Location and geography be damned!

This isn’t necessarily new – teleconferencing has been around the past 10 years and calling people has long been an option. But that everyone is in the same situation has made it easier to appreciate, and a lot easier to just reach out.

It’s comforting. Tho after exhausting the conversation, at some point you wave goodbye and hang up the call. The illusion is broken, and once again you realize you’re still just on your island.

Can’t wait to get off it.

-Dylan, still out there, still wellApril, 18th 2020

Yes yes yes yes, the island metaphor was maybe informed by Animal Crossing. I didn't make the connection until a buddy pointed it out, so I'd like to think the metaphor stands.